Hannah Dowling

Visitors will be welcome to come and see the rebuilt replica of Sir Charles Kingsford Smiths’ Southern Cross II aircraft taxi down the tarmac at the HARS Aviation Museum this weekend, as part of the museum’s January Tarmac Days.

It comes after Qantas announced it would dramatically fast-track the return of its first superjumbo to passenger service from April to January, in order to ease staffing pressures due to COVID-19 isolation orders.

The 11-minute show was performed by international drone pilots from computer giant Intel, who were trained and accredited to operate in Australian skies by local drone companies Aviassist and Mirragin. 

Virgin Australia has said it will slash its flight capacity for January and February by 25 per cent, and place its recently-resumed sole international service to Fiji on hold, as it navigates the current Omicron outbreak.

Flight Centre CEO Graham ‘Skroo’ Turner has said that airlines “will certainly try” to recoup the massive losses seen throughout the pandemic in their airfares, however Australia’s competitive market should ultimately see airfares remain fair on busy routes.

Aviation workers in NSW will soon be required to receive their booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, under new rules introduced by Premier Dominic Perrottet.